8 pm and 76 degrees.
Copy edits.
My last few passes and then I go page by page and make all the changes on my computer copy of LOTTERY. I have the weekend.
Yeah! Then I send this hard copy off Monday. Overnight. To New York.
The person who did my copyedits is wonderful. I decided.
I do not know her name (I think it's a her but I am not sure). I just know her initials EW.
This is an amazing process. This part is all by hand. Specific marks. Red pencil. Squiggles, lines, carrots (carots or carats). Gee, I wish I paid better attention in high school journalism class.
Actually you can find all the abbreviations and marks online.
But already this post is too long.
I do not know how much longer this will take me.
I just wanted to say aloha, hello and ask for a few cheering words in the comments section from my blogging buddies.
And now back to the land of red marks.
stet stet and more stet
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16 comments:
Have a blast, Pat. After surviving your first copy edit, akin to your first kiss, you'll feel taller and stronger and more able to take on ANYTHING the publishing world can throw at you. Of course, it doesn't LAST, but you will feel that way... for all of five minutes. Green pencil and stet your way through the harbour, girl.
What a rush. Copy editing is probably the best part of the process, a chance to concentrate on the picayune. Too bad you can't keep theat hard copy for posterity's sake.
Amy
I remember STET from my copy proofing days at Hill Holliday advertising! Ah the old eye to paper technique! Super Agent X wants one more copy edit on my MS -I like a green pen instead of red, easier on the eyes.
Happy editing!
Oh, and I thought the Micro-Polish phase was a chore. Just wait until they bring on the professionals!
Hang in there. Hope you're stocked up on really good coffee.
Go, Pat, go!!!
If it makes you feel any better I am wildly jealous of you! I want to lose my copyedit virginity! And it doesn't seem fair that I am still waiting as my book is coming out like only 4 days after yours. Poo.
I am glad you made this post though, as it gives me some sense what to expect when the time comes. Very interesting stuff. Time consuming, but interesting!
Go Pat!!!
For a while a couple of years ago I got o do the disk changes for copy edits . . . boy THAT was fun . . . har, har, har.:)
Maprilynne
Another milestone, hurray!
Like Adrienne, I'm eager to get my marked-up pages too. Love seeing your photo of the work in progress.
Good luck! I'll sleep a couple extra hours for you tomorrow morning.
red ink, stet...Go!
& ditto Kimber An - lots of coffee!
You're just shockingly neat and organized. I'm so impressed. I keep thinking one day I will approach the copy edit like that.
Seeing all the abbrs and symbols like TK and STET makes you feel like the ultimate insiders, eh?
Susan Wiggs
Hey Susan! I saw Winter Lodge is higher on the New York Times Bestseller list! Congrats!
Re: copy edits
Yeah I had to go online and get translations!
Neat? Me? I live on a boat -- I have no choice! You should see the INSIDE of my cupboards!
Well I am shell-shocked but I am done.
On to the next step!
Thanks for all your comments you guys!
A new post will be up shortly!
I'm another who is anxious to receive copy edits. Just finished revisions so I know it'll be a while. Still the edits always make me nervous.
t's great that so many of us are riding this wave together!
Go Pat Go!
How fun! I guess I hadn't thought about it all being done by hand. Hope you're enjoying yourself.
Congrats, Pat! I cannot wait to be in your shoes! Happy copy-editing!
It's a sucky job, but someone has to be there with the green pencil making us wannabe's green with envy. It'll be done soon, and then you'll have the galleys to do, right? And one day, you'll have that hard copy in your hand, and you'll be skipping and dancing, and then not long after, we'll have our copies in our hands, and we'll be skipping and dancing. As the nasty mom says in Willy Wonka: "Eyes on the Prize, darling, Eyes on the Prize." (Just skip the chewing gum, OK?)
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